1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an accessory apparatus for an automatic sewing machine including a vertically movable needle cooperating with a hole located in a hole plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Accessory attachments for automatic sewing machines are typically directed at facilitating penetration of various materials both with a normal thread and with a heavy thread. Such devices, however, are typically not adapted for high speed stitching of hole designs, i.e. RICHELIEU stitching, or button holes where the holes have to be trimmed or cut out subsequently by hand with the help of a scissors or other cutting tool requiring the stopping of the machine between the stitching and cutting steps. This method of operation lacks efficiency because not only time is lost, but also a complete operation cannot be performed in an automatic fashion to associate with other automated processes. Manual cutting, in addition, lacks the requisite precision and repeatability of automated cutting. Such prior art automatic sewing machines furthermore consecutively stitch the complete patterns leaving a connecting thread between the individual figures of the pattern which has to be cut off by hand.